High Cost of Mobile Toilets

The phenomenon of high charges for mobile toilets does exist, and there are multiple reasons behind it.

Examples of High Charges

At a mobile toilet by the seaside in Jinfeng Town, Fujian, there was a case where the charge was 10 yuan per use. The operator stated that the charge was not initially so high; it was originally 6 yuan per use. However, due to the large number of people using it and only one person responsible for cleaning, not only was the labor intensity high, but the cleaning was also not timely, leading to many complaints. To control the flow of people and reduce cleaning pressure and complaints, the operator increased the charge to 10 yuan per use.

Operating Costs and Profit Considerations

The operator mentioned that there are operational cost issues with mobile toilets. After deducting electricity and cleaning costs, the daily profit of a container-type mobile toilet is only a few dozen yuan. This indicates that despite the seemingly high charges, the actual profit is not substantial after deducting various costs. To some extent, the operator increased the charges to maintain operations and ensure a certain profit margin.

Charge Adjustments and Public Opinion Impact

After the charging situation of this mobile toilet was exposed, the operator adjusted the price to 2 yuan per use, but ultimately suspended its use due to public opinion pressure. This shows that the public has a high level of concern and expectation regarding the reasonableness of mobile toilet charges. When the charges exceed the public's psychological expectations, it is likely to trigger public opinion controversies.

Usage Rules

The operator also introduced the usage rules of the mobile toilet. Although the mini-program displays a duration with a countdown, there is no time limit for using the toilet. After the countdown ends, the door lock will not open automatically, and people outside cannot scan the code to unlock it. Users can unlock the door from inside using a key. This rule to some extent safeguards the privacy and user experience of users but may also affect the toilet's usage efficiency, especially during times of high foot traffic.

The high cost of mobile toilets is the result of multiple factors, including operating costs, crowd control, and public expectations. While ensuring operations, how to set reasonable charging standards and balance the interests of all parties is a problem that mobile toilet operators need to further think about and solve.